Embrace Me with Your Wings
by Sweet Emii
Summary: Slight AU. Cas was assigned as Dean's guardian angel when he was still young. Their abnormal dependency and close bond causes the angels to worry as they attempt to reign in Castiel. But Dean will not stand for it.
1. Embrace Me with Your Wings

**Embrace Me with Your Wings**

AN: I couldn't resist a multi-chapter Supernatural fic! This shall keep me sane waiting for the next expisode and trying not to go crazy with grief at the last episode. Oh how we feel for Cas! At least Dean was so loyal until then although that boy and that angels needs to both learn how communicate better! Then make up and make me happy.

Synopsis: AU. Every hunter is assigned a guardian but usually fairly late in their lives. However, Dean got his at a very young age, a fact that causes worry and suspicion to flare amongst the other angels. It doesn't help that him and Cas have one of the deepest, most usually attached bonds ever to be seen. And so, the angels try to separate them but perhaps this is something not even angels can restrain mostly since Dean will not stand for it.

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><p>He didn't know how the relationships of other hunters and their guardian angels were like; however, at the same time, he didn't care. Him and Cass, they worked and that was all that mattered to him. Or rather, they did.<p>

He had driven all night; fury and self-pity pooled in his stomach. Amanda's words stinging in his minds. He was not a little boy. He had seen shit that would make her heart stop; he has lived through things that she couldn't even comprehend.

Dean's hands tightened on the steering wheel of the stolen car he was driving. His breaking heart was trying desperately to push out the truth, the startling truth of those simple words.

The tires of the car squealed and the frame of the car shook as he sped violently and recklessly around a turn. He could hear the rubble from the road hitting the metal of the car as he skimmed the edge of the pavement, barely able to prevent the car from losing control.

A dangerous thought crossed his mind accompanied by a vague hope.

He jerked the wheel suddenly causing the car to rumble over dirt road. He pressed hard on the accelerator, eyes reflecting the cliff the car sped violently towards.

Suddenly, the car's engine spluttered and died.

He glanced down in momentary confusion before the breaks were slammed on without his feet touching the pedal. His body was lunched forwards as the vehicle came to an abrupt stop.

The door besides him was thrown open and a force pulled him from his seat and throwing his body onto the gravel.

Dean coughed and scrambled across the rubble as dirt swirled around him for a moment. He finally turned his gaze towards the figure standing before him. A glimmer of relief crossed his face. "Cas."

The angel gazed down at his charge, anger flashed across the otherwise blank expression he carried. "What are you doing, Dean?" Castiel glowered over his charge.

The teenage stood, dusting off his jacket and trying to appear nonchalant when his heart was beating violently in his chest. His eyes were lowered when all he wanted to do was gaze endlessly at his angel. "Hi to you too, Cas."

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Got that, did you?" Dean spat back as he shoved past Castiel and looked on at the sunrise.

As the barest rustles of Cas's trench coat indicated his turning to face the young man, Cas frowned as he looked at his charge. "Dean."

"It's apparently the only damn way I can get you down here these days," Dean whirled around to face the angel, glaring darkly at the other man.

Cas gazed into the frustrated, confused, unsure eyes of the young man. He lowered his eyes in a deep frown. "My superiors—"

"—I don't give a damn," Dean cut him off harshly. He stepped forwards towards his guardian and pressed his forehead against the angel's shoulder. "I _need_ you here with me."

Castiel gave a deep, sad sigh.

How many years had it been since he had been assigned to Dean? Ten, maybe. Most angels don't find their charge until the human becomes a seasoned hunter or earlier when they reach puberty. It was odd and something even his immediate superiors furrowed their brows at.

Then there was the bond. Most angels barely keep their charges alive let alone interact with the humans on a daily basis. However, the pure _need_ to be by Dean's side the first few years had been frightening. It was as though his grace would threaten to implode out of restlessness if it wasn't close to the soul bonded to him.

That feeling had not changed. However, the other angels began to reign him in, fearing what they didn't understand, what they have never in their long, long lives seen.

Cas and Dean were different, unique and that was unacceptable in so many ways. And so, Cas was forced to watch at a distance, listen from the heavens, keep himself from jumping every moment Dean got a tiny scratch on his body.

However, it didn't change how attached his entire being was to his charge. His grace flared without his permission as the familiar soul was practically within touching distance. His vessel trembled from the sheer force of the celestial power ragging beneath human skin. Castiel soundlessly willed it to quiet.

Dean felt his angel tremble slightly and looked up just in time to see and hear the rustling of wings and feathers. He gazed at the familiar scene.

His hands reached out to touch the soft feathers. It had been so long since he seen Cas's wings. From what the angel told him once, angels never showed their wings. It felt like exposing yourself beyond bare; down to their very souls. It was perhaps the most intimate gesture an angel could share and Dean greedily embraced the fact he was the only one in existence to have seen them.

Castiel shuttered again but for a very different reason this time. His blue eyes watched as Dean smoothed down the feathers of his dark wing. The appendage pressed against his hands insistently as the other wing wrapped around his body, pulling the boy towards his own.

Cas leaned down and breathed the human sent and the purity that was Dean's soul. He could almost felt it glowing, beating softly within the human before him. It was so pure, so beautiful. It was perhaps the most beautiful soul Castiel has ever seen.

Suddenly, a pair of familiar lips was over his. Castiel gasped as he felt his grace flare and beam like hot fire in delight. The taste of Dean's soul fueled his essence and melt with his grace. Forcefully, he pushed the boy away from him and frowned.

Dean sagged slightly into Castiel's worried arms. His body suddenly felt weak but cleansed and happy.

"You shouldn't do that," Castiel chided despite the tremble that was evident in his tone. "If you wanted my grace, you merely have to ask."

Dean tried to regain his footing but merely sagged again. He had forgotten how exhausting it was to share his soul's power. He was thankful for the arm that had instinctively wrapped around his body. The young man merely leaned forwards onto the body of the angel before him.

"This way I'll be with you. You won't forget me," It probably sounded as cheesy as can be. However, with Castiel, his rough demeanor seems to always melt away. He blamed it on their bond, that rare, naked bond that allowed his angel all the thoughts, emotions, and dreams he had. Too bad the only way for him to share that ability was to take in Castiel's grace.

It's addicting, the grace. He felt raw and alone without it drumming through his soul. He felt dirty and unworthy of being in Castiel's presence. He felt cut off from the angel who barely showed any emotion on the surface of his vessel.

"I had never and will never forget you."Castiel replied to his comment. It wasn't an admission of deep desires or hidden emotions. But then again, what they had could not be defined in human terms. It was love but not. It was both more than that and not there yet. It was a mere statement of fact, a fact engraved so deeply in them that the idea in opposition was nothing but a fool's idiocy.

Suddenly, Cas tensed, his wings withdrawn and gone with a gush of wind, and his blank gaze was lifted towards the skies.

Dean knew that look. He hated that look with passion. He instinctively grabbed onto Castiel's coat like a life-line. Memories of his youth flashed before him. Every time he would grab on and say. "Don't."

Then Castiel gave him that familiar, sad, forlorn look. Dean could feel agony radiate from the angel. Tender arms wrapped around the teen so tightly that Dean had to breathe shallowly for a moment. "Please, don't," Dean tried again.

However, with a rush of wind, Castiel was gone along with his strength and glow. Dean dropped onto the gravel without the support of the angel's arms and remained there for the next few hours until Castiel's grace filtered from his system.

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><p>AN: Like, dislike? More? Reviews are loved and I guess any ideas on what you would like to see. Just for a heads up to see how people will like it, I'm going to give Balthazar to Sam as his guardian… because that angel is damn cool and he works well with Cassie…. And just works well in general.<p> 


	2. Try to Remember

**Embrace Me With Your Wings : 2 : "Try to Remember"**

AN: Took me a long while to try to figure out how to continue this story but after several drafts, this is what came out of it. Haha. Hopefully it's a good thing? I've been so depressed by Castiel's betrayal that I've apparently been frantically writing stories to compensate… although Castiel as God is kinda awesome.

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><p>Never had Castiel been gone for so long. The prolonged absence of his angel made Dean temper short and highly irritable. Even his father, John made sure to avoid the teenager for the most part. It wasn't too hard considering the man was always hunting one thing or another while the boys were at their next choice of school or motel.<p>

But that may not have been the best thing to do for this particular hunt, leave them alone. As the boys were making their way back to their motel room, they were clearly not aware that, at that same exact moment in time, their father had pissed of an extremely power ghost. They were also not aware that the ghost had found them to be the perfect form of retaliation. In fact, they didn't realize this until too late when both boys collided with an invisible force and were thrown across the parking lot.

Dean groaned in pain as his body unkindly collided with hard cement. Despite the burn of his side, he struggled to stand. His hands groped his jacket blindly in attempts to find the canteen of salt he always had on him. Shaking his head to clear his eyesight, he came to just in time to see the hazy form of the ghost approaching the lifeless form of his brother a few feet away.

"NO!" He cried out just as he found his salt and tossed it at the ghost. The creature screamed as it disappeared. Dean took the chance to limp to his brother to check on the boy.

However, he had worst things to worry about because he was thrown from his brother's side and his body collided hard with a side of a car. He felt and heard a few ribs crack causing him to scream in pain.

Instinct and will forced him onto his feet again. But the ghost saw it as an opportunity to seize Dean's throat. The ghost used its other hand to dig into Dean's chest and aimed for his beating heart.

Pain flooded his eyes, blinding his eyes with tears. To this day, he remembers thinking one thing over and over again. Cas. He probably even manages to whisper out the angel's name through his bleeding lips. "Cas."

Then there was screaming. He wasn't sure who or what or from where the screams were originated from; however, he knew that it was a scream of pure agony. Then, there was a bright flash of light and the warm and safety that followed. The force hauling his body up by the throat suddenly disappeared and he fell heavily onto the hard floor.

He cracked an eye open in time to see the familiar face of his angel standing over him. Dean felt Castiel sweep his limp figure up in a warm embrace and he heard whispers of something. His mind was too muddled to understand the word; however, it knew it to be somewhat apologetic. He tried his best to reassure the angel as he attempted to lift his arms to touch the angel's beautiful face. However, his broken ribs forced the arm back down. He was having trouble breathing. Maybe a rib had punctured his lungs. The blood that spilled from his lips may have confirmed that.

John's frantic form had arrived just in time to witness the angel smite the ghost and he had to pause to shield his eyes from the light.

"Dad!" He turned to see Sam standing a small distance away with a few scratches perhaps a mild concussion but safe beyond that. He ran to his youngest son, carefully giving the young boy a hug before returning his gaze to the angel and his older son.

"Dean," he muttered as both he and Sam made his way over.

What he saw began to frighten him.

He had thought the figure hunched over was his son because of the blood covering the figure's back. Perhaps he had been thrown against something. However, he soon realized that the back he was seeing was Castiel's. He then realized that the angel was bleeding. And the realization alone was troubling.

Then he noticed the broken form of his son in the angel's arm. He rushed forwards instantly to knee before the two figures. Just as he was about to try and get the angel to help him move his son, Castiel began to speak.

"He'll be fine," Castiel informed the man in a far-away tone. He gently deposited the boy to his father before slowly standing up. John offered the angel a worried look when he swayed slightly.

As soon as Castiel's warmth left Dean's side, the teen began to wake. His head felt heavy but otherwise the nightmare of pain he had been experiencing a few seconds prior was now nothing but a bad memory. He slowly sat up despite his father's protest and turned his head instinctively to where Castiel was standing.

The confused expression on Castiel's face could have been considered comical if not for the sheer horror of what happened next. The angel seemed confused by the fact his sight was beginning to blur and his body started to sway. Without any other warning, the man doubled over. The only thing the angel remembered hearing was Dean calling out his name before he hit the cement.

_-supernatural-_

Castiel remembered the first time he had met Dean. He was in heaven one minute then on earth in his vessel the next. He had heard stories of this happening to angels; being assigned by God to be a guardian to a human most of the time a hunter. However, he never expected himself to be chosen. After all, the volume of guardians had dropped to zero ever since Father had all but vanished. Therefore, it was both a miracle and a highly suspicious event what happened that day.

The first thing the remembered thinking was that Dean had the most beautiful, the most innocent, and the brightest soul he had ever seen. Before even fully entering his vessel, he could hear and feel the soft calls of Dean's soul. It was both memorizing and enthralling.

As his vessel's human eyes opened to reveal the soul's young human form, he still felt drawn to the child. He slowly sank to his knees before the young boy and greeted the him with awe and respect. However, he was oddly met with suspicion and holy water then salt to the face.

"I am an Angel of the Lord. My name is Castiel," he tried to reassure the young boy.

This ended up getting him shot then stabbed. Castiel found this odd but he would not rest until his new mission was met with success.

"I am to be your guardian, Dean Winchester."

"Bull shit!" the young boy yelled before running into his motel.

Castiel did not understand how feces had anything to do with their destined meeting; however, he wisely decided that perhaps Dean did not want to meet him just yet. However, he obediently and quietly watched over Dean over the next few years to insure he did not meet harm.

Their second meeting went by slightly better in Castiel's point of view.

The angel would have described his stalker-like actions those first few years as merely a dutiful guardian watching over his charge; however, he began to realize early on that this may not be as normal as he made it sound.

Something disturbing would start to grip at Castiel's chest when he departed from Dean's side. Although he was never in view during his visits nor did he contact the boy in any way, being besides the human was like a drug, a beautiful drug he couldn't resist. Perhaps then the feelings while he was away could be described by humans as a form of withdraw.

But it had been a good thing that he was there that day. John Winchester had been too foolish and rushed that day. He decided to inspect a slightly suspicious but otherwise pleasant neighborhood as the sun was setting while his two boys were still in the impala asleep. The neighborhood looked decent enough and it was probably a ghost haunt in worst case. What he didn't know was that the place was crawling with vamps.

As Castiel touched down to earth in his vessel, having finally finished attending his other duties, he recognized the presence of monsters instantly. His eyes flickered in alarm towards the setting sun because he could feel the beasts waiting impatiently to burst out of their homes. How such a large community existed was beyond him. What he did know that his charge was in trouble.

He appeared besides the impala and threw open the door only to be shot in the chest. He frowned slightly, wondering if this was going to be a habit. The boy's shoot first and ask later mentality was slightly worrisome.

"I am Castiel, an Angel of the Lord. I am here to help you," he reminded the boy. He had done his research during the time he had been watching over the boy and he was aware that humans, mainly children, have very poor memory.

"Yea, yea, guardian angel my ass."

Castiel frowned in confusion. "I do suppose that specific body part is to be protected but ideally I am to guard your whole being."

Dean gave him a look that Castiel would later be labeled by Sam as a 'really bitch?' expression. "Good for you, now get the hell away—"

However, that response was cut short because something had slammed itself on the hood of the impala, shaking the car violently. Castiel calmly glanced up in time to see a vamp lunge itself at him. He grabbed the head of the monster and smites the ignorant creature.

The light emitted caused the rest of them to pause in fear and suspicion; however, their hunger for blood could not be ignored. They came at him again but all at once this time. "Close your eyes," he warned the boys before a tremendous light was emitted from his palms and every beast dropped where they stood, smoking unattractively from their eyes and mouth.

"Woah," Dean commented, impressed, as he slowly pulled his younger brother with him from the car, hand still over the young boy's eyes. Seeing a mob of dead bodies was the last thing he wanted for Sam. "That's so cool."

Castiel glanced at the carnage, not understanding why his charge was concerned with the temperature right now. However, he chose not to comment. His research states that children often say odd things. "We must go now," he informed his charge calmly, holding out his hand for Dean to grab onto.

The boy glanced at the offered appendage in suspicion. "Where's my dad? I'm not going without him." He frowned as Sam struggled from under his grip, trying to remove the hand over his eye. "Stop it, Sam."

Castiel placed two fingers on Sam's head causing the younger brother to double over in sleep. Dean cried in alarm and aimed his gun at Castiel's head. "He's merely sleeping," the angel tried to reassure the young boy.

Dean glanced at the man shortly before checking his brother. Sam was still breathing and did look merely asleep but it didn't mean that it was natural. A hand gripped his shoulder causing him to throw up his gun in defense.

However, he soon realized that he was not in the neighborhood anymore. He was in the motel room their family was staying at for that week. He looked around in alarm and confusion before returning his gaze to meet the blue eyes of the angel as though realizes who had brought him here. Dean slowly deposited Sam on the bed behind him before glaring at the 'angel'. "Now take me to my dad."

"That would be unwise," Castiel informed his young, determined charge. He stared quietly at the body, fascinated by the bright glow of the child's soul after such a disturbing event had occurred before his eyes.

"I don't care," Dean snapped, "He's my dad and he's in trouble." Castiel stared hard at the boy, feeling his will twist under the child's furrowed brow, set eyes, and a pinch of worry. It was a look that Castiel will begin to fear because of the sheer power and influence it had over him.

"I will retrieve him," He responded. The next moment, he was gone.

Minutes later, the angel reappeared with John in hand. The human man stumbled back in surprise.

"Dad!" Dean cried as he ran to his father. John held onto his boy with one hand, noticing Sam on the bed the same moment, before turning his attention back to Castiel. His gun was raised and aimed with his free hand at Castiel's body. Castiel began to realize where Dean may have learned his poor greeting mannerism.

Castiel was about to speak when Dean jumped to grab at his dad's gun. "Don't! That's Castiel. He saved us."

"Oh yea? And why would he do something like that?"

Dean glanced at the angel. "Because he says he's my guardian angel or something like that."

John's attention was instantly turned towards his son, his eyes wide in shock. He returned his gaze to Castiel. "You're an angel?" The look on the man's face informed Castiel that the hunter knew about angels.

"Yes, I am an angel of the lord."

John slowly lowered his gun and loosened his death grip on his gun. "That would explain the teleportation and the light. And you're saying that Dean's your charge?"

"Yes."

The hunter narrowed his eyes. "Dean's just a kid."

"I am aware."

"Why him?"

Castiel glanced away for a moment, looking blankly at the motel wall… or perhaps he was looking through it. It was hard to tell. Finally, he returned his gaze to Dean despite currently answering John question. "I don't begin to question my father's will."

"You're saying God wants you to follow my 10 year old boy around?"

Castiel's stern blue eyes flickered in annoyance, his stance became more still and the narrowing of his eyes was in no way friendly. "I do not appreciate your tone," The angel warned in his deep gravelly voice.

John, despite his strong will, had to look away. Then again, he just saw the angel drop a dozen vamps without breaking a sweat so he had good reason to be nervous.

The angel glanced towards the ceiling, narrowing his eyes in concentration for a moment. "I must go now."

"No!" His attention was turned toward Dean who looked as surprised as everyone else that he spoke up.

Castiel's eyes softened and he gave Dean a gentle look. "I will return," he promised just as he disappeared with a gush of wind.

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><p>AN: It's hard to determine where this story is going but hopefully it's a good direction. Reviews are loved! Crit and suggestions are equally wonderful! Thank you for reading!<p> 


	3. Absence

**Embrace me With Your Wings : 3 : Absence**

AN: Thanks everyone for their wonderful reviews! I hope you continue enjoying the story!

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><p>"You should eat something, Dean," the rough voice of his father interrupted any dark thoughts that may have been crossing his mind at the moment.<p>

Dean didn't look up. In fact, he had been there, sitting besides his angel's side quietly and unmoving since they carried to bleeding man onto the free motel bed. It had taken one frantic hour before Cas's back had stopped bleeding. The amount of blood-loss alone, evident of all the drench towels, was cause for worry. The fact the angel had yet to regain consciousness was another. However, Castiel was an angel. He should be fine, right?

However, Dean still had a worry crease on his brows. His hand touched the angel's head occasionally which caused a deeper frown to appear as though he could feel the angel's pain from the mere motion. He would then let his hand linger for a while before withdrawing it and sitting back against the back of his chair again.

John had made sure Sam was tucked away, despite the young boy's protests wanting to stay with Dean to make sure Castiel was going to be okay, before he checked on his later born.

John stood quietly at the door in wonder. This bond or whatever one would call it… he had bad feeling about it, about everything. Something was happening or going to happen and the hurt, unconscious angel was just the start. But he should have known that from the beginning.

_-supernatural flashback-_

Dean was thrilled. After noticing that John seemed to give a vague sense of acceptance towards the angel, all hell broke loose. The 10-year-old loved calling the angel for the most simple of tasks one could imagine.

"Castiel!" Then Cas would appear. "Teleport me to McDonald!"

"Cas! Help me get into that house!"

"I'm going to steal a Christmas present for Sam, of course."

"Cas! Help me salt the doors."

"Cas! Get that for me. No, the one next to it. Yea, that remote."

"…It takes too much effort to stand."

Castiel found himself enveloped with a very strange dilemma, one he as a soldier of the Lord was no accustomed to dealing with. His feelings and endless care for the child caused him to want desperately to do everything and anything that made Dean happy.

When the child's eyes lit up at the sight and smell of McDonalds, Castiel himself was happy. When Dean was laughing at the expense of that rich family and patting Cas's back proudly, the angel felt himself lifted with strength and meaning. And, of course, when he could do just a little something more to protect the child, he felt like his life was accomplishing what it was destined for.

However, even he as an angel unaccustomed to human nature and social norms knew that Dean was beginning to be what many would call 'spoiled'. The child's behavior of selfish and minuscule orders made Castiel slowly grow more and more irritated.

Unable to fully comprehend the emotions bubbling inside of him, he responded as anyone in his situation would. He grabbed the remote, teleported it to Egypt, left it there, and teleported back, offering Dean nothing but a daring glare.

Dean jumped up instantly. "What did you do?"

"I left it in Egypt. If you truly wish for it, go and get it," Castiel replied in an even and straight tone. However, the child knew him well enough to notice a very distinctive tightening of the angel's lips that indicated Castiel's annoyance.

Dean shouted at the defiance. "What are you, a child?" the boy growled, pissed beyond what his child mind could comprehend. And as a child, he didn't bother much to think of why exactly Castiel was mad.

"No, but you certainly are a childish, pathetically weak human," Castiel retarded in his own manner of 'snapping back' which was merely snapping each word shorter and more intentional than usual.

"Say that again, I dare you," Dean shouted.

Castiel did not give in. Instead, he merely replied coldly, "Do not call me for stupid reasons again."

Castiel merely disappeared after that before letting a reply be heard. The boy cursed "Son of a Bee!" despite not truly understanding what the 'bee' meant when his Dad said it. He would obviously later learn it was actually 'b' and it stood for something.

And this is what is commonly called a lover's quarrel; their first one to be exact. It was a highly childish one but still the same.

It also marked a change in several things.

Later that month, Dean was growing more and more frantic by the day. By the second week, after five whole days of defiance and refusal to even think about the angel, Dean had finally broken down and shouted an apology to the heavens. He had fully expected Castiel to come back down after that or maybe later that day and even hoping later that week. However, he received only silence.

By the third week of apologies and prayers, anger took hold of the little boy and he scream at the heavens again. "Fine! I don't need you." Having the personality the young boy did, he stayed true to that statement and never called on the angel again, believing to have been abandoned.

Then as the month drew to a close, Dean seemed to have decided he didn't need the angel anymore. Any mentions of the being were met by a cold shoulder even to Sammy who he usually made an effort to respond to any of his serious worries.

However, if his little brother asked one more time about the 'big man in the big coat', he was going to hide all the cereal and watch the boy go hungry.

John, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered by the events at first. He was curious, of course, and cautious; however, he felt more at ease knowing his boy was not meeting the strange angel when he was away. But for the most part, he was, as usual; too busy to truly care about the situation mostly when, in his eyes, this was a good thing.

But then Dean's inner struggled began to manifest itself. The boy began to sleep less, eat less, and grow quiet. The oldest Winchester son seemed to become less and less eager when John came back. When he would usually shadow the man around for a few minutes when his father return, Dean did not even bat his eyes. Instead, he was always looking out the windows, quiet and distracted.

Even Sam began to worry about his older brother. The youngest Winchester tried to offer his own food to the boy on more than one occasion or tried to find little things to give him. Now there was a small collection of bottle caps and coins and caps and strange magazines in Dean's bag.

However, by the second month of this, John had to place his boys in the care of a friend and giving clear instructions for her to make sure Dean eats. The boy was nearly starving himself. He only ate when John demanded it and it was probably because he saw it as an order he needed to obey.

And by then, John prayed to Castiel. "Castiel, you have to see him if you give a damn at all."

And Castiel did.

Dean had finally drifted off 5am out of pure weariness. The boy slept for 3 hours before his mind shook him awake like it always does. He opened his green eyes and instantly noticed the familiar form settled next to his bed. His tired, baggy eyes narrowed in both confusion and disbelief. "Cas?"

He was too tired and too relieved to be angry at the angel's long absence. Instead of how he would usually act (probably throw a punch at the man), he crawled over and threw himself into the man's arms and breathed in the scent of clean-cut grass and spring on the angel's coat. His small fist tightened in a death-grip on Castiel's coat and shirt.

"I'm sorry," He mutters with his head buried into the trench coat. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He repeated over and over again.

"As am I." The angel muttered simply before Castiel placed a careful hand on Dean's head. The boy slumped over in sleep instantly. The angel carefully gathered up the boy into his arms and watched him sleep quietly, aware that the boy's hands were still tightly gripping his coat likely in fear the angel would vanish again.

He didn't look up immediately when he heard the flapping sound of wings and then the shadow of a man's form hovering over him. What he did do was tighten his hold protectively around the boy in his arms.

"How the mighty have fallen," his brother mocked with bitterness laced through his words.

Castiel slowly lifted his gaze. "Uriel."

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><p>AN: Reviews are loved beyond reason. Suggestions and critics are welcome and loved also. Thank you for reading!<p> 


	4. Brothers

**Embrace me With Your Wings : 4 : Brothers**

AN: I'm glad people enjoyed Cas/lilDean relationship. They are just a bundle of fun. The past and the present are going to be running at the same time so I hope people don't get too confused by it. I tried to make the transitions pretty easy. I wasn't able to check a whole lot since I'm short on time but I hope that doesn't subtract from your reading.

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><p>Uriel grinned as though amused by the sight before him. "Just dropping by to check out the mud monkey that has your feathers all twisted."<p>

Castiel held Dean carefully and in a way that left the other angel little room to try anything. Cas slowly glowered darkly in such a way that his angel brother took a slow step back. "You should not call my charge in such an offending name."

However, that did not stop Uriel from offering a chuckle. "It seems the rumors do you more justice than you deserve. You're nothing more than a glorified pet."

A gale picked up in the room, the sound of thunder crashed outside, rain pelted the motel, and the lights burst violent as electricity ran through the room. "Be careful, Uriel," Castiel warned.

The lesser angel lowered his eyes but reluctantly. "No, Castiel," He whispered back in a low tone, "You are the one who should be careful because Michael was the one who has sent me to watch you." The angel dared to meet the eyes of his brother. "Your compassion leaves you vulnerable to sinful influences."

It was Castiel's turn to look away. Already Rachael had come out of friendship to warn him the dangers of feeling too deeply for a human, even if it was a charge. She reminded him of Anna who had fallen literally and emotionally for her charge and, as a result, was banished. The thought of becoming a fallen angel frightened him greatly.

"What, then, will you have me do?" He had asked her.

Rachael had regarded him in some confusion as though he should have known the answer. "Stay away from him as much as your duties allow."

And Castiel tried to. He tried to desperately. He watched in agony as Dean's young voice prayed and called to him. He watched as Dean's health began to deteriorate. In heaven, Castiel grew restless and worried. He grew so frustrated that many of his brothers who enjoyed time with him left him to his own misery.

But the call was far too strong to resist. John's worried prayers had been the last straw. Under the disapproving eye of some of his brothers and sisters, he descended once again to stay with Dean.

As his arms wrapped around the slender figure of his charge, he physically felt how much weight the boy had lost. Hurt touched his unsuspecting celestial essence. 'Never again,' he promised himself.

"God had sent me to watch over Dean Winchester and watch over him is what I will do," Castiel replied with thick conviction. He looked at Uriel, daring the angel to deny the fact their own father gave Cas specific directions that led to Dean.

Uriel stared at Castiel and Cas realize his gaze had changed. It was the way the angel looked at humans, at insects. It was filled with a condescending undertone that made Castiel feel a tingle of doubt and shame trickle through his system. If not for the warm, sure presence of his charge in his arms, perhaps it would have grown stronger. However, for now, that doubt as overshadowed by a pride of his role as a protector. And after that, Uriel disappeared with the sound of the wind.

Once Dean had woken up from his long, needed rest, the boy was furious. He began to throw various objects at Castiel, cursing all his childish version of curse words like "you damp fudgecake" and "you big fat tart face". What Castiel wanted to know as the objects bounced harmlessly off his still form was why Dean kept regarding him as dessert items.

But, after Dean's make-up tantrum, was clearly more cautious with the way he treated his angel. He even, on rare occasions, did things for Castiel under the veil of an 'it was nothing' shrug and a light flush of his face. After an incident where a monster caught Castiel's tie and pulled it off, Dean even asked his dad to teach him how to tie a proper tie so that he could fix it.

Then there was the constant need to know where the angel was. Dean couldn't help it at first. He grew frantic whenever he couldn't see Castiel or whenever Castiel disappeared from sight. Even during his showers, he would sneak a peek into his room to make sure the angel hadn't vanished while his back was turned. However, after a few weeks, that dependency luckily toned down.

The awkward group had also established a vague sense of pattern.

John began expecting Castiel's presence and used it to his advantage by drilling the angel for information on monsters and other aspects of his hunt. Castiel reluctantly replied but only after Dean chided when he didn't help the older man. To make his charge happy, he did as John instructed him for the most part. However, he made sure to be clear that he would not do anything that did not directly involve Dean or was not in the same line-of-sight as Dean.

Dean had begun treated Castiel as a friend/brother/father figure. He enjoyed learning strange things from the angel such as enochian symbols and words. He also found it utterly amusing that the angel seemed to be very socially inept.

"This is unbelievable."

At the sound of the angel speaking, Dean looked up from the stove.

"An anvil cannot pause in mid-flight and coyotes do not run on two feet. This is a cruel injustice to children, teaching them false facts through appealing motion picture shows. Sam, do not watch."

Dean didn't know whether to face palm himself or laugh. In certain aspects, Castiel was much like a child who needed to learn about many aspects of humanity.

Sam literally jumped on the angel when Cas reached to grab the remote. "NO!" Castiel, surprised but still defiant, held the remote above his head. The youngest Winchester then started crawling on the angel, trying to reach the controller. "Give me!" The young boy demanded.

"I will not allow your mind to be filled with lies, Samuel Winchester." Castiel responded as he remained motionless while Sam started pulling on his hair.

"GIVE ME!" Dean heard Sammy demand the angel again.

Castiel merely used his other hand to push Sam's head down. However, this somehow resulted in Sam flipping over awkwardly with his little arms around Castiel's arm and coat while his feet were kicking the angel in the face.

"You big meanie!"

Castiel frowned as Sam kicked his face harder. His wrapped a protective arm around Sam's waist when he felt the boy slipping. Despite the boy's struggles, the angel was strong enough to withstand the attack and merely placed him gently back on the couch. "You will thank me in the future."

As Sam slipped out of Castiel's grasp, the angel moved his arm to turn off the TV or change it to the discovery channel. However, being that he lacked the proper skills to use the remote properly, the TV started to turn on, off, volume increased, muted, and skipped to odd channels of static. As Cas's expression turned to one of frustration, Sam took the chance to jump at the hand holding the remote. However, it resulted in Sam merely dangling from Castiel's arm, both little arms busy keeping himself from falling.

"DEAN! CAS is being mean!"

"I am not 'being mean'." Castiel replied.

"Are too!"

Cas frowned more deeply at the dangling boy. "I assure you I'm not."

Dean finally interrupted as he placed the pot of soup in the middle of the dining table. "What are you, five, Cas?"

The angel turned his gaze to his charge. "I am several thousand years old."

The boy rolled his eyes as he walked over, grabbed the remote, and turned off the TV. "Right. Sam, dinner is ready anyways. Get your but over there and eat."

As the boys ate and occasionally chattered about toys and games and such, Castiel would always walk over to a window and stare at the sky, occasionally muttering to himself. When Dean, days later after witnessing the act several times, asked about it, Castiel merely responded that he was also conversing with his brothers.

"You have brothers?"

Castiel had nodded simply, turning his attention back towards Dean. "Many hundreds."

The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. That's a lot."

The angel merely shrugged in response. "I suppose to humans it is."

"So… you can just talk to them."

"I am always able to hear my brothers."

Dean stared at the angel for a long moment and considered the microscopic furrowing of his brows. "You miss them though?"

Cas stared back for a long, quiet moment. "Yes."

"Then why don't you go see them once in a while." Dean tensed at his own words, not entirely thrilled by the idea of Cas going back to heaven. But if it was Dean and he had to leave Sam's side for too long, he would be really sad.

"That would be unwise."

Dean gave the angel a confused and questioning look.

Castiel looked down as though disliking the conversation. "We are not in agreement about," he paused to glance at Dean, "certain things."

The boy nodded. "Like you're in a fight?"

"Something like that."

"But they're still your family."

Cas's eyes softened a fraction at the bright, innocent, and confused look on Dean's face. "Yes for another eternity; our lifespan are infinite and I will have another millennia to be with my brothers… unlike humans."

Dean's young eyes blinked a few times before he slowly began to understand a very difficult, a very prominent problem that he suddenly realized will eventually sneak up on them. It seemed his young eyes turned just a few years wiser from that mere ominous thought. The boy, unaccustomed to such heavy emotions of dread, walked over to the angel and sat very closely to Castiel's side as though trying to drink up Castiel's essence. They sat in silence and Dean sometime through the night drifted off to sleep.

_-supernatural-_

Dean was jolted awake by a sound and he instantly grabbed his gun and pointed it at the shadows in alarm. He glanced quickly to his side at the messy bed sheet. His brows furrowed in confusion, trying to remember what was happening. Then he remembered Cas and Castiel being hurt.

"Cas?" He jumped up and searched the room for his angel. "Cas, where are you?"

"Dean." He heard a soft murmur from the other side of the bed. Dean instantly ran over.

He saw the wounded angel struggling to stand. "Cas. Woah, slow down, Cas." He ran forwards to help support the stumbling angel. "You got to lay down, man. You look like shit."

"Wall," Cas whispered through his pain-filled voice. "Get me… to the wall." He managed to struggle the words out his lips.

"What?" Dean asked in confusion. However, he didn't have any other choice because the angel was already stumbling towards the side of the room. He ran forwards to support the man.

"Angels," Cas blurted out before he was thrown into a coughing fit and blood poured from his lips.

"Okay, no. This is not going to work. You got to sit down at least," He forced the angel to sit and lean against the bed frame. Dean kneeled before the weak gaze of his angel. "Angels? Angel what? Angel… warding?" Dean asked causing Cas to nodded weakly. "Alright… uh… stay there. I think I remember."

Dean ran over to the desk, turning on the light before flipping through the desk for paper and a pen. He then paused to remember the many warning symbols Castiel had thought him through the years. He scribbled something down before running back to the angel. He tapped the wounded man's face. "Come on, Cas, stay with me." He showed the paper to him. "This it?"

Castiel nodded as he reached blindly for the wall, trying to stand but only stumbling in the process.

"I got it, Cas. I'll get it. You need to rest now before you pass out and force me to drag your comatose ass back to bed." Dean muttered as he pulled the angel to his feet before helping him back onto the bed. Once the angel's head touched the pillows, he was out.

Dean took a moment to give the man a worried look before walking over to the far wall to draw the symbol on the wall in his blood.

At least he now knew what they were supposed to be running from. However, that then raises the question: Did the angels do that to Cas? They had always frowned on the bond between him and Cas; however, the never acted out violently. Something was happening in Heaven; probably something bad.

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><p>AN: As always, please review and let me know what you're liking and what you wish to see more of. :D Thank you for reading!<p> 


	5. Wings

**Embrace Me with Your Wings : 5 : Wings**

AN: This goes through three different times: present, a few weeks ago, and the past. I hope it doesn't get too confusing. But enjoy. And again, thank everyone for reading, alerting, and reviewing. I read everything and I love all responses.

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><p>"Well, did he say anything else?"<p>

"No, he just freaking passed out after that. I'm surprised he woke at all"

Castiel felt consciousness nudge through the veil of pain. It hurt so much that he was afraid to move. Instead, he quietly tried to comprehend his surroundings. Did he make it? Was Dean okay? The last thing he remembered that was of any import was that Dean was in trouble and he needed to help. He remembered reaching for the boy, willing himself to make it in time as all other sound, cries, and pains were ignored.

But Dean must be okay because he heard the young man's voice in the other room so it must mean he made it in time.

In relief, Cas relaxed a fraction back into the bed, wincing as the pain from his back throbbed uncomfortable. Wait, pain from his back? Sheer panic raced through his mind and body. He shivered from the horror of it. Slowly, timidly he tried to move his wings.

A curling scream emptied like a nightmare from his lips. His eyes widen in horror, pain, and emotional turmoil. His wing—his wing was ripped off.

_-supernatural-_

He remembered that Michael had not been happy with him when he had returned to heaven after his little visit to keep Dean from driving of that cliff. He felt like a disobedient teenager trying to sneak back into his room but being caught red-handed.

"Castiel," Michael spoke his name even though Castiel knew he was there waiting for him and Michael knew Castiel was aware of his presence. But that wasn't the point. It was the tone he said it in; the chiding, displeased tone that made Castiel's heart sink in shame.

"Brother," Castiel responded as he turned to face the other angel. His eyes were lowered as he waited for the inevitable.

His big brother sighed in endlessly condescending way. Their celestial awareness towards each other was like two monumental forces clashing together; like two bolts of lightning meeting at full force. However, in the end, it was also as simple as one brother being older and, in default, right.

"Bind his wings."

Castiel's eyes widened at the mere statement. He felt his other brothers hold him in an almost apologetic manner as Michael reached out for the physical manifestation of his grace.

_-supernatural - past-_

Castiel watched quietly as Dean closed the door to the motel room and stepped outside into the freezing night air. He had witness the young child reassure the haunted look on his dad's face and help his father to his bed. He had watched as this same child took care of his little brother, reassuring the younger sibling that their father would be finding in the morning. And now he watched as the shaking body of the child reached out for him.

The angel stepped forwards and swept the child up into his arms, pulling the boy tight against his chest and hearing the soft sigh of relief from the weary child.

"You should not be outside. The temperature will cause sickness in your body, Dean."

The child huffed through his chattering teeth. "Unless you plan to do something to help, shut up and stop reminding me, Cas."

The angel wordlessly flew them to the back seat of the impala parked no too far away.

Dean didn't care where they went. All he wanted was to bury his face in the calming, peaceful presence of his angel. It made him forget about his fear, the monsters, the loneliness of losing his mother. He breathed the distinct smell of fresh cut grass and spring on Castiel's jacket.

Suddenly, it was warm. Dean felt a soft, fluffy pressure against his bare legs and arms. His eyes looked up from Castiel's jacket and widened at the sight of two white wings surrounding and embracing them in a cocoon of soft, warm white feathers. He reached out his little hands to stroke one wing and was instantly at awe at the soft texture of them.

Castiel's wing shy away from his touch causing Dean to glanced up at the angel. There was a thoughtful look on the angel's face, one that made Dean slightly nervous. However, he was reassured by the softening of Castiel's brows.

"We only show our wings to special people dear to us."

"Oh," Dean replied dumbly. He looked down at his hand and slowly stoked the long flight feathers. "They're so warm."

Castiel gazed at his own wings thoughtfully as though he wasn't aware of that fact until Dean mentioned it. "I suppose they would be. They hold most of our grace."

"Grace?"

"Our power." Casitel explained.

"Oh. Your angel mojo."

Castiel frowned at the name but nodded. His wing rewrapped itself around the boy, surrounding Dean's body in a comfortable warm. And then Castiel was frozen. Dean smiled, a true, happy, innocent smile as he snuggled deeper into the wings and seemed to want to grip his feathers against his boy.

The angel reached with one of his arms to touch the boy's face which caused the boy to look at him. "I am your guardian, Dean."

Dean gaze his angel an odd look. "I know. You told me, remember?"

"You accept me as such?"

"Yeah…" the boy replied to the odd question the best he could.

Castiel smiled softly and kissed the boy's forehead softly. Suddenly, a tingle of warmth raced through his body from that spot and Dean blinked in awe at the warmth and pleasure that rushed through his body. He felt cleansed, pure, and filled with a foreign power that was like the sun on a cold day. "That is my grace."

Dean blinked as the effect faded off after what seemed like hours to him. "Cool," he muttered as he placed his head against Castiel's shoulder, stroking the long feathers before him absentmindedly. His eyes drooped slightly, worn out by the thrill, and quietly fell asleep.

_-supernatural-present-_

Dean ran for Castiel the moment the angel woke up in a scream. However, he stopped like he hit a wall of bricks. The sight before him made his blood chill. One of the angel's wings was outstretched and flapping frantically as though trying to break free of whatever was gripping it in madness. The other—the other wing was… gone. As Castiel bent over, one of his arms holding the shoulder where his other wing should have sprouted from, Dean saw the bloody stub of where a wing should have gone.

"Oh God," Dean whirled around at the sound only to see the wide-eyed expression of his Dad. He realized then the man was also witnessing Castiel's wings.

Rage boiled possessively and desperately within him. He ran to the foot of the bed and threw up his arms to block the sight of the angel from his Dad. "Don't look at him!" he screamed at his father, his eyes filled with rage. "DON'T LOOK!"

"Dean—" a broken voice from behind him caught his attention.

Dean turned to face the angel and grabbed the hand reaching out for him. "Cas," he muttered desperately as he fell to his knees on the bed and pulled the angel into his embrace, "You're okay, Cas. I'm here."

"It's gone," Castiel whispered in horror as chocking sobs escaped his lips. "It's Gone!"

Dean wrapped his arms around the angel's head, stroking the man's hair and whispering reassurances to the angel. "It's okay, Cas. You'll be okay."

The angel merely sobbed as he tried to struggle out of Dean's grip. However, Dean only tightened his grip. "NO!" The angel cried as he tried to push his charge back again. This time he succeeded.

However, the next moment, Dean's hands were on either side of his face. "Cas," the man whispered urgently to the angel. "My soul. You need it to heal. Take some."

"No. No. NO!" Castiel screamed as he struggled harder against the young hunter. He trembled when Dean grabbed onto his hands. He slumped heavily against Dean's arm while shaking his head. "I don't. I cant. I. don't. want. it."

"Damn you, Cas!" Dean slammed his lips against the angel's without warning causing the angel to gasp against the harsh kiss.

Castiel shuttered for a moment at the thrill of receiving power from his charge's soul. He almost leaned in for more, to take even more and perhaps all of it. However, that mere thought frightened him and he shoved the young man off of him and the bed.

He wasn't aware of Dean falling to the ground of the motel, weak and trembling. He wasn't aware of John Winchester grabbing onto his son's body to hold the young man up.

All he was aware of was the power of the soul rushing through his boy and healing the tear at the end of the stub on his wing. The realization made him scream again in desperate horror. He didn't want it. He didn't want any of it. He didn't want to survive this.

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><p>AN: Review, please. Thank you for reading!<p> 


	6. Hold On

**Embrace Me With Your Wings : 6 : Hold On**

AN: Regarding Balthazar, I still haven't figured out how to shove his sexy ass into this story. But don't worry, he shall come! Perhaps in 1-3 more chapters? I'm actually very excited to put him in but there's been too much going on as it is and with all the flashbacks and craziness. Haha. But soon everything will catch up with one another for the most part and we can focus on other stuff. For now, Destiel gets the front seat. :D

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><p>Castiel's broken expression slowly turned to Dean and the angel gave him a long look. The young man stood for a moment, searching the angel's eyes before his own expression turned into one of alarm. He lunged for the angel.<p>

"NO!" Dean screamed just as Castiel vanished from the bed. Dean cursed at the now empty bed sheets between his fingers.

The young man turned and made for the door; however, just when he was about the grab the handle, John stopped him by grabbing onto his arm. Dean shot the man a half-confusion, half-angry expression. "I need to find Cas. He didn't get far yet probably because of his wing."

He pulled at his arm; however, his father only tightened his hold. "Dean. You're giving your soul to that thing?"

Dean froze at the question before he slowly narrowed his eyes. "Thing? This is Castiel. He would never hurt me." He pulled his arm out of John's grip.

"Not by what I was seeing. He nearly sucked you dry."

Dean move around the man again. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Dean. Don't you dare step out that door."

"Dean? Dad? What's going on?" Both men looked over to the teen standing at the doorway. Sam glanced from his brother to his dad in confusion. He rarely heard his dad say something like that to his older brother. Dean listened to the man's words like they came from God himself.

Taking advantage of his father being distracted, Dean ran out the door only hearing the frustrated cry of his name from his father in his wake. But he didn't have time to worry about that. He needed to find Castiel before the angels got their hands on him again.

Then, suddenly Castiel felt himself falling. The shock of not being able to fly properly confused his mind and caused him too loose sight of where he was, what he was doing. He started to fall. His only wing and what little grace he had left gave out causing the angel to plummet to the ground. His hands reached out as though trying to touch heaven; however, never reaching it because gravity pulled him hard against the earth.

Pain rushed across his form and nocked the breath out of him. He struggled to make sense of what happened as he blinked in confusion. He turned this way and that, vaguely aware of the startled people in the park now making their worried way towards him. He stumbled to his feet, uncoordinated because of the spinning slight of the world around him.

"Are you alright, sir?"

He jolted to look at the people surrounding him and whirled around in confusion, stumbling in the process. "Dean?"

More voices entered his confused state and he tried to make them out to find the only voice he wanted to hear and the only one he cared about. "Dean?" He tried again, shaking his muddled mind in desperation.

Shadows of strangers began to walk towards him. "Get away from me!" The angel cried desperately, throwing out his arms at him, causing the shadows to back away. He pulled his good arm to hold his head and try to steady himself. He ran away from the stranger and ran and ran. He ran until he was along again and he fell to his knees against the cold grass.

Suddenly, a firm arm grabbed a hold of his shoulder and Castiel nearly threw the person off. However, he froze when he saw who it was.

"I got you, Cas."

"Dean." He wanted to reach for the hunter, his charge. He wanted to embrace the young man and sink his grace into the familiar warmth of the man's soul.

"I won't let you go."

_-supernatural-past-_

"Castiel," a furious voice interrupted his own guilt-filled mind. It forced Castiel to slowly turn his eyes to the approaching form of his brother.

"Uriel."

The other angel glowered darkly as he stopped before Castiel. "You're carelessness nearly cost us a heavy price, brother," the angel spat out.

Castiel's eyes flickered away in what appeared to be shame. "Mere demons cannot kill us… but regardless, I am well aware I was in the wrong for allowing myself to be distracted."

"Distracted is right. We have been very patient with you, Castiel. However, if those mud monkey pets are going to continue getting in the way, we can't be held responsible for what happens."

Suddenly, Castiel was on Uriel. The tip of his angel blade pressed against the other angel's throat and his eyes cold. "I suggest you do not threaten my charge in my presence, Uriel."

The other angel's eyes widened in shock at the reaction he received from his brother. "You wouldn't dare."

Castiel pushed the blade more heavily against his throat as he steeled his gaze. "You wish to try me?"

Slowly, Uriel backed away, his eyes filled with pity and confusion, unable to understand. "Michael will hear of this."

"I imagine he already has."

Uriel shook his head. "We are not your enemies, Castiel," he said before he disappeared.

Castiel slowly lowered his blade, eyeing the weapon with a heavy mind. He closed his eyes and reopened them to find him in a small motel room.

"Cas!"

The angel opened his arms to receive a welcoming hug from Sam. The boy had gotten a lot bigger since he was last here. Had it really been that long? Time was difficult to follow when he was in heaven.

He felt a heavy gaze on his form and the looked up to see Dean watching him intently from besides window. The sight of his charge knocked the breath from his vessel. Perhaps it was the long absence, perhaps it was the change in Dean's appearance, or perhaps it was something else. Whatever the case, Castiel felt both warm and uncertain.

Sam spoke again. "Where have you been, Cas?" Castiel pulled his gaze from Dean and onto the younger Winchester brother who was currently tugging on his coat trying to get his attention.

"Heaven," he supplied simply.

"We were getting worried," Sam continued although freezing slightly at his own words and shooting his older brother a weary glance as though he had revealed something he wasn't supposed to.

"I apologize for worrying you then."

The sound of the motel door opening and closing was the only warning the two received when Dean left the room. Sam sighed as he gazed quietly at where the teen once stood. He turned back to the angel and spoke in a hushed whisper as though sharing a secret. "He's been pretty grouchy while you were away. Punch a teacher and everything too. Dad was pretty pissed at him."

"I see," Castiel replied after a moment with a deep frown on his face. "How long has it been?"

Sam gave the angel an odd look. "Almost a year I think."

Castiel blinked. It hadn't felt that long but that may have had something to do with the madness that had been stirring up in heaven. The battles, the missions, the long periods of time spend with his brothers. It felt so similar to his life before receiving his charge that he must had forgotten himself.

Of course, never fully. Dean was always at the corner of his mind; his grace always fully aware of the human's physical state. But since the teenage was never in any immediate danger, the angel saw no urgency to return. And for that mere though, a strange tingle of guilt touched his essence.

But it was odd, wasn't it? ... Now that he thought about it. After long years of being inactive on the field, his superiors were suddenly sending him on mission, insisting that they hunt demons that don't appear to be celestial-level threats. It was as though they were trying to keep him busy.

And the worst thing was, Castiel didn't mind. Deep inside he knew but he didn't care. After long years constantly besides the Winchesters, constantly watching them fight and fight and fight; he was getting tired of it. He was getting sick of earth the hate, the hopelessness, the anger, and perhaps he had taken Heaven for granted.

As he stepped outside to follow Dean as Sam insisted, he wondered what exactly he was doing here. Why was he here? Why was he always here? He felt like he needed to be here but there was nothing wrong with his charge. Dean's heart was still beating and all his limbs were still attached. He had done his job fine so why does he feel like he failed?

Dean didn't turn to look at him. The teenage stood with his arms crossed as he stared out into the parking lot at the few people walking this way and that across the street.

"Dean," Castiel called out. He closed his lips shortly after because honestly he didn't know what else to stay or do. He knew something was needed of him but he couldn't understand what it was.

"Is this how it's going to be?"

"I don't understand."

Dean turned to look at the angel and Castiel felt the same strong sensation hit his vessel. "Am I going to have to worry about you too? Just like how I worry about Sam; about dad? I thought you understood but I guess that's too much to ask of an angel of the lord."

Castiel's brows furrowed as he tried to understand. Truth was he never truly understood why Sam or Dean was always so worried when he left. He was unlike their father. He was an angel and they knew from experience that aside from his own brothers, not much has the physical ability to wound him let alone kill him. "Your worries are unfounded. I will not be killed easily. In fact, none of my brothers have died in a very, very long time."

However, his reassurance did not serve its purpose well. It merely seems to frustrate Dean more to Castiel's confusion. "I get it. You're not like us humans, you're invincible. Good for you."

Castiel had an urge to inform the teen that he was not 'invincible'; however, he did not want to 'add fuel to the fire' as they would say. Instead, he stood quietly and awkwardly besides Dean because he had a feeling that whatever this was, it wasn't over.

Dean rubbed his chin, a habit he had when he was stressed and thinking, as he looked away from Cas. "You know. I always try to listen to what my father says. Do as he says when he says, no questions asked." Castiel watched the man quietly, brows furrowed because he didn't understand how this had to do with anything. However, he remained silent and listened. Dean continued. "It's because I'm afraid that one day he's going to figure that me and Sam are too much of a burden to him and he's just…" Dean shrugged. "Not going to come back."

Slowly, realization flashed across Castiel's eyes and he stepped towards his charge in a swift, unexpected movement. Dean jumped slightly when he realized how close the angel had gotten. Cas silently gazed at the boy in wonder, realizing then that Dean had almost gotten as tall as him. Humans age so quickly. It was both beautiful and sad.

"You are not a burden, Dean," Castiel replied calmly with his eyes staring at Dean in a way that had always made Dean uncomfortably self-conscious as though the angel knew everything.

Dean looked away both out of need to escape scrutiny and in denial of the angel's words. Castiel felt the doubt, the strange self-loathing rolling off the boy. In response, the angel touched the boy's arm and pulled lightly, compelling the teen to turn his attention back to him.

"You are a gift. It is an honor my father chose me to be your guardian." Castiel replied in a dead-serious tone.

Dean finally cracked a weak smile, unable to help himself. "You are such a chick, Cas."

Castiel furrowed his brow in confusion yet again. "I am not a young avian creature."

The boy chuckled and it became clear that he was at his chick-flick moment limit. "Yea, my bad. The fluffy white wings can make things confusing."

The angel then realized the boy was joking and frowned. He watched as his charge decisively turned back towards the door of the motel. However, before the boy could make the steps, Castiel reached out to grab his arm.

Dean glanced at the angel.

"I will always return to you, Dean."

The human looked at his angel long and hard.

"Always. Until I cease to exist." Cas reiterates, feeling the strong need to make the boy understand.

"You promise?"

Castiel's voice in low, steady, and serious the way it was when he had first appeared before Dean stating his name, stating what he was, stating facts. "Yes."

Dean lowered his gaze for a moment perhaps thinking. He finally returned his eyes to Castiel's and nodded. "Then I won't let you go."

The next few months Castiel remained close to the family, to Dean. He began to understand why he felt so disturbed when he saw Dean that day he returned. It wasn't just because Dean had grown significantly. It was the look in Dean's eyes. It had changed, matured in a way that worried the angel. And so, Castiel needed to make sure his eyes did not darken anymore, did not stray anymore from that childish innocent that he once saw.

And he began to enjoy spending time with the Winchester brothers. It seems their father was going through a rough time and left for far longer period of time than usual. What Castiel didn't understand was why the man chose to spend most of that time with another child by the name of Adam. That was until he realized the boy was also John's son. The angel kept this information to himself. Something about it felt wrong and he also had a feeling the information may harm Dean and he wouldn't allow that.

During his time with his charge, Castiel became increasingly curious about 'school'. He realized this was a human educational institution and, therefore, decided to take it upon himself to insure that his charge and his brother were learning accurate and useful information.

Once he hovered over them as they did 'homework' where Sam seemed to be having trouble with math while Dean merely groaned and gave up when he read the words 'calculus' on the book. "You're still a freakin' freshmen. What the heck are they doing teaching you that?"

Meanwhile, the angel flipped through the book silently as Dean muttered something about the embarrassment of having his younger brother surpass him in math classes and then something about Sam testing in. Castiel then glanced at Sam's homework then pushed the book in front of the boy. "Perhaps this formula can aid your attempts to derive that equation."

Both boys froze and glanced at the angel.

"You know math?" Dean asked, bewildered.

"I am aware of the subject," Castiel replied. However, when Dean frowned, the angel realized further explanation was in order. "My vessel had once been well acquainted with this 'Calculus' subject. I merely accessed his memory from his time in his education institution to find the proper lesson and solution."

"You can do that?" Sam asked, fascinated.

Castiel paused then shrugged. "I apparently just did."

"Cool. So is this equation right?" Sam pointed to another problem.

Apparently, this then gave the younger Winchester permission to ask him for 'homework' help from then on.

Later that night, Dean flopped down onto the couch before the soft glow of the TV. He glanced over to the bed to make sure Sammy was asleep. "Uh… thanks for helping him out."

Castiel sat down besides Dean and nodded silently. The teen draped his legs across Castiel's knees and turned to look at him. The angel noticed that when the teen realize no one was watching, he felt freer to do as he pleased around his guardian. "The damn kid is so smart. It sometimes bums him out that I can't help him and Dad's never around. It's kinda a shame Sammy's not gonna be able to do anything with those brains of his. Probably could have been a rocket scientist if he wanted."

"What about you?"

Dean glanced at the angel with a surprised expression on his face; however, the expression disappeared seconds later. The teen grinned. "Nothing but the family business for me. Plus, me and Sam, We're in too deep to think about any other roads."

"Forgive me for asking."

Dean shrugged. "We're saving people so it's not all bad I guess. Plus, I get to have an angel on my shoulder. That's pretty dang cool."

The corners of Castiel's lips twitched slightly. "Would you like to go anywhere right now?"

Dean grinned. "How about In-and-out? Heard the burgers are great but the dang restaurant seems to only exist in So-Cal."

Castiel opened his hand for Dean to grab. "Hang on."

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><p>AN: This one felt kinda random… I don't know what it was. But I hope you enjoyed it regardless. Reviews are loved beyond reason so I hope you consider dropping me a note. Thank you!<p> 


	7. Goodbye For Now

**Embrace Me With Your Wings : 7 : Good-bye For Now**

AN: This took SO long to finish mainly because I had no idea where to go from the last chapter. However, I finally got the story all figured out so the next few chapters should be faster to whip out. The past is catching up to the present so rejoice and I hope you Enjoy!

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><p>Castiel remembered the day Michael summoned him. He had been quietly sitting on a bench at Dean's school with his charge when the call came. He froze in mid-sentence and adopted furrowed brow as he gazed up at the heavens. His eyes offered the teen besides him an apologetic look before he vanish, hearing only the sounds of Dean's curse when he left.<p>

"Castiel." He whirled around to see Michael standing there in his beautiful essence flanked by several angels, one of which was Uriel he noticed.

"Brother," he greeted back with a soft dip of his head in respect.

"Castiel," the older angel addressed him in a gentle but firm manner, "You have been ignoring my orders."

Cas's eyes widened at the implications. "Never, Michael. I merely assumed the task of protecting my charge far exceeds any other demands since Father entrusted me to look—"

"—Unfortunately," the archangel interrupted smoothly and in a way where it seemed almost natural and almost gentle, "we have decided that your … situation may have been caused by another force."

The younger angel looked up at his brother in confusion. "You don't think God—"

"—I dont," Michael instantly knew the words that would come from Castiel's lips. Their connection to each other and to heaven's host allowed it.

"Then, I don't understand." Castiel looked down in conflict. If it was not done by God, who could have and what would they even get out of it? Fear trickled through his body. What if he had been acting against heaven all this time? What if he was in fact working for demons or some creature of that nature? But how could Dean be considered anything evil? All the time he had been with the human, Castiel could only see the makings of a righteous man.

Michael sighed softly and his brow was furrowed in sympathy, a type of sympathy that borderline pity for the less wise, the easily fooled. "You must keep your distance from the human."

Castiel's first instinct was to say 'too late'; however, he assumed that may not turn out well. Instead he, for the first time since he could remember, braved against his older brother's disapproval. "No."

Shock and disbelief was instantly on every angel's face including Michael and even himself. And suddenly, Castiel felt a sharp thrill run through him body, a trill that was usually accompanied by disobedience and freedom to decide for himself, a feeling humans were well school in; however, this was all new for angels. However, seconds later, his mind quickly and violently reminded him that disobedience was a hair away from blasphemy. He lowered his eyes, fear rushing through his emotions. "I mean, I need to let Dean know."

"Castiel." Castiel shivered in dread at Michael's harsh, warning tone.

"Please Michael," Castiel risked looking at the archangel, "If he is evil, I know it is not yet. His soul is still pure. Perhaps there is a clue; perhaps there is some way."

"To do what?"

He looked down at the question, Castiel himself wasn't even sure. He just wanted time. He just wanted more time.

Michael allowed a deep sigh to escape his form and softened his stern expression. "I suppose nothing in set in stone yet."

Castiel felt a rush of relief.

The archangel gave a look to indicate that there will be conditions to his toleration. "I will call you again and when I do, I expect you to answer. I expect you to obey. If you do not, there will be consequences for you and your charge. Do you understand?"

"Yes, brother."

By the time Castiel had arrived back on earth, Dean was already getting ready for bed. He watched for a moment as Dean looked around the dark room in confusion, probably hearing the sound of his wings. Then his eyes locked onto Castiel's form and his eyes widened. "Cas." Instantly, the teen was by his side.

He let himself be led to the kitchen in the other room where Dean turned on a light and the sharpness of the sudden chance caused his eyes to lower and pupils to dilate. But Castiel would have lowered his eyes anyways from the weight of his uncertainty that had begun budding in his mind since Michael's ominous words.

"What happened?"

The worry and alertness that hung on Dean's voice caused Castiel to return his gaze onto the teen. The angel's expression and resolve softened at the mere sight of the charge and he wondered how someone so pure and beautiful could be associated with anything demonic.

"Was it your brothers?" Dean looked in his angel's eyes for a long moment and frowned at the silence that met his question, "What did they want?"

"Dean," Castiel finally spoke up, his voice sounding oddly exhausted. The rest of his message seemed to fall away as the angel merely stared at his charge in a tense quiet—no, a longing quiet. He searched the human's expression as though he could find his answers there. But all he saw was beautiful purity, one he had been and was still drawn to.

Castiel had to lower his eyes, unwilling to meet the teen's strong gaze longer. His voice was quiet, "if two people you are close to require different things of you, how do you know which is right?"

Dean's brow furrowed. "Cas, what are you talking about?"

The angel breathed in a difficult breath and attempted to find a better explanation in the mist of his confusion. "If… I was to ask one thing of you and you father asks you to go against that, what would you do?"

The teen instantly fell silent; he allowed the words from his angel to sink fully into his mind in that moment. He slowly and honestly searched Castiel's downcast expression for a pregnant second before sighing. "Neither."

Castiel's gaze snapped up to his in confusion.

"I would trust my own instinct," he replied with conviction. Then a soft, uncharacteristic smile cross Dean's lips, "someone once said to me: 'It's your decision, Dean. You're the one who's going to have to live with that choice'. So I guess the best person to make the ultimate choice is, well, you."

"Did your father tell you that?"

Dean grinned and looked away, rubbing his chin in a nervous manner. "No, my mom did." The ghost of a smile crossed his lips again at the fond memory. "Well, I think she was referring to me eating too much damn candy that I'll make myself sick and have to live with it… but, hey, it works….and…" after in another nervous motion of rubbing the back of his neck, he continued after a deep breath, "… it's one of the few things I still remember about her."

Castiel's eyes finally softened and the tension fell from his shoulders. He moved forwards slowly and rested his head on Dean's strong shoulders. "She's a very wise woman," he muttered and he breathed in Dean's reassuring presence along with the familiar scent of motor oil and leather.

He felt the young man chuckle causing his shoulder to shaking lightly under Castiel's forehead; he could even feel as Dean spoke, "I like to think so." He missed being so close to his charge.

After a moment of just allowing a comfortable silence and stillness to develop between them, Castiel suddenly felt Dean's hand wrap around his body and draw him in. He then wondered when Dean had gotten so tall, so strong. Despite the angel's clearly superior strength, the act made him feel boneless and weak all the same, and addicting feeling he wasn't accustomed to. Then, he felt Dean bury his head into his coat in an almost fearful act, as though he was afraid Castiel would disappear otherwise.

Then a whisper from Dean followed. It was a whisper so soft that Cas would have missed it if he were human. But he wasn't and he didn't. He felt Dean's grip tighten. "Please choose me." Castiel's chest clenched painfully and his own grip on Dean's jacket tightened as well.

Nothing seemed to have changed after that night. The weeks following seemed fairly normal. However, they may have all overlooked a slow, sneaking tension snaking its way between each individual's skins. Unfortunately, tensions like this also tend to draw forth land-mine conflicts that were just waiting for the right opportunity to strike. All it takes in one simple miss-step.

"Take Sam to the car."

Castiel grabbed the young boy and reached out his hand for Dean to grab onto also. "Come with me."

"No. I have to get the crossbow to Dad."

"Dean, no!" However, the boy was already running towards the direction his father took off after the second werewolf.

Castiel looked down as Sam struggled in his arms. "Let me go! I can help!" A soft frown marred his expression as he touched the boy's forehead causing the youngest Winchester to slump over in sleep. He transported them to the car and deposited the boy onto the back seat. He quickly drew up a ward on the seat cushion to keep the Werewolf from finding the car before leaving to find Dean.

With a flutter of wings, he landed into a clearing and glanced around in search of his charge and quickly found him. He saw Dean helping his dad drag the dead monster towards him. Castiel's eyes fell onto the haunted expression on the teen's face and noticed a darkening in Dean's eyes.

"What the—" John Winchester felt the body grow heavier in his hands and looked up to see what Dean was doing. What he saw was Castiel holding Dean while one glowing hand lowering onto his son's forehead.

John dropped the body and aimed his crossbow at the angel, not caring if it will work or not. "Get your hands the hell off my son."

Castiel froze and gazed at the man with an impatient expression.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to him?"

The angel barely flinched or seemed very concerned at John's threatening tone. "I am erasing his memory of this night," he replied simply as he began to lower his hand again, skimming the boy's head.

"I said, get your damn hands off of him!" John shouted again as he shot at Castiel.

Castiel barely moved as the arrow hit his shoulder and trembled as it collided with bone. He felt one of his rib try to heal around the arrow's tip. He let his wounded arm hang, shifting the half-dazed Dean gently onto the ground before standing up and using his other hand to pull the arrow out without blinking. His eyes darkened.

The angel was suddenly in front of the man with his iron grip tight around his neck. "I have been very patient with you, John Winchester. Need I remind you that I am an Angel of the Lord and I demand respect from you."

"You're just like the rest of those Supernatural dicks, nothing but a monster that needs to be killed."

Castiel's eyes narrowed as did his grip. He could hear, without much sympathy, the man start gasping for air. "You are close to blasphemy. Any closer and you may find you spending your afterlife somewhere you don't want to be."

John appeared like he wanted to sneer and tell him to go to hell; however, didn't get a chance. "CAS! Stop it! Let him go right now!"

The angel's grip loosened the moment he heard Dean's voice. He watched as the man hit the ground gasping for breath and trying to reach for his weapon. Cas kicked the bow away as Dean ran up to them.

The young man shoved the angel and Castiel allowed himself to shift back as to not hurt his charge's wrist. He watched as Dean helped his father up in worry before throwing and conflicted and betrayed look at Cas. The angel felt himself shrink back in shock and confusion.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"He's fine and would have been fine. I was not going to permit him to drag to into this darkness any longer. Such scenes are unfit for a child."

Dean let go of his father and began to walk towards Cas. He felt his father hold him back and allowed it for a minute, too concentrated on trying to understand the angel. "I'm not a child anymore."

When Castiel looked down, Dean slipped out of his father's grip and placed a firm hand on the angel's shoulder. The angel instantly responded by placed his hand on Dean's face and tracing the teen's jaw in wonder, probably trying to compare Dean's current appearance to the memory he had of Dean as a child. "Ignorance is bliss. It's less painful."

"It's also going to get him kill, you stupid son of a bitch."

Castiel's heated look snapped to John. Dean tightened his grip of the angel's shoulder in fear that the warrior of God would do something worrisome. "Not under my watch. I am his guardian. No harm will befall him."

"Oh yea? For how long? Until your 'brothers' decide they got something more important for you to do and drag you away leaving us cold in the dust?" Castiel felt a shock run through his system at how close to home that statement hit home. The man straightened himself and continued. "Wake up, Castiel. He's already waist-deep in this and you're not going to teach him how swim? He'll be gone when the next wave comes—no, I'll be dead the next slip-up the world throws at him. At least this way, learning and getting his hands dirty while we still have our eyes on him, he can have a fighting chance. I'm not losing him like I lost my wife. I'm also not going to leave him in the dark," John's eye narrowed, "not how I was left: ignorant, lost, regretting. I'll tell you what it's not: less painful."

A silent fell on all three of them, mainly Cas. "Dean, get back to work," John ordered his son. Dean gave the angel one last look before helping his Dad drag the body to the small ditch they found. The teen then stepped back next to Castiel and watched as John burned the dead creature.

"We'll meet up with you," Dean insured his Dad when John started towards the road. The older man gave his son and the angel a long look before nodded and making his way through the forest.

They stood there watching the fire burn out.

"He's never gonna accept the way you think. Hell, sometimes even I don't." Dean kicked some dirt at the dying fire. "He thinks the worst thing that'll ever happen to me is that I'll die. We're not like you. We don't know 100% where we're headed afterward. We don't know if it'll be better."

"It will. It's heaven."

"That is if I even get in."

"You will," Castiel replied firmly.

Dean chuckled and continued watching the embers glow. "Can you honestly tell me all your brothers agree with you on that one?" The teen didn't wait for an answer mainly because he could already feel Castiel's tense hesitation. "Plus, I want to do this. I want to get rid of these things. Mainly because I'm still so damn angry that they took away my mom, my life. I want to help people, keep them from experiencing that pain. That's the only thing that makes this world still half decent."

From that day on, Castiel began involving himself more deeply in Dean's hunting education. The Winchesters also began to realize the sheer amount of knowledge at their disposal.

Dean found out that Castiel knew every language currently spoken on Earth and even a few dead ones. The angel had begun flipping through the Latin book they used for exercising and read it like he actually understood it. 'I remember this one' was all that he said before he placed it down again. Sam specifically found this fascinating and began learning Latin and other languages from the angel.

Even John couldn't help but respect the angel's knowledge despite his persistent mistrust. After getting saved by the angel from ghouls who, unknown to the older hunter, didn't react to silver or holy water, respect was reluctantly given.

The angel's patience with his charge was also a sight to behold. Although insistent in over watching everything, he, at the same time, allowed him freedom to learn. The angel did find the lesson of 'covering your tracks' and how to shoot very fascinating. There is time when the angel found himself included on these lessons, taking his turn shooting with various human guns. He, to his dismay, found himself to be a poor shot.

The angel also took a turn in teaching the Winchesters, specifically wards. There were ones for demons, monsters, and even angels. For some reason Castiel was insistent on Dean memorizing the ward against angels.

And as a month then two rolled by, the group fell into a too-comfortable pattern. Well, most of them. Where Dean was genuinely happy to have Castiel's presence consistent, he couldn't help but notice the angel's growing agitation.

Dean watched as the angel made him and Sam a sandwich, one of the few things Dean managed to teach Cas how to make in terms of food. Sam had snuck off to do his homework on the bed leaving Dean and Castiel at the dining table.

"Cas," Dean muttered just to ask the angel something simple; however, when the angel didn't respond, Dean turned his head to glance at him, "Cas?"

Castiel snapped out of his trance and glanced over to his charge. "Yes, Dean?"

The teen frowned, staring at the angel for a moment. "Cas, what's wrong?"

The reaction to that question could only be descried as a flinch. "Nothing."

Dean frowned, annoyed. "You want to try that again?"

Castiel looked away from Dean's stern look. He shook he head as he placed the sandwich before the teen. "My brothers are just… talking a lot lately."

"About what?"

Cas waved the thought away, "Nothing," with more conviction this time. He left to give Sam his sandwich.

A few days later, Dean was woken up by something he couldn't quite place. He rubbed his eyes to clear the fog as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He noticed a figure sitting beside his bed and reached out for the familiar form. "Cas?"

Cas eased Dean back down towards the bed. "Rest."

However, the teen struggled against the pressure; he knew that expression. "You're going somewhere, aren't you?" He sat up again and tugged on Castiel's jacket. "Don't go."

"I'm being summoned by my superiors. I must leave."

"Forget them," Dean sneered as he fisted Castiel's jacket in his hands. "What give them the right to order you around?"

Castiel touched Dean's face gently. "Please be safe, Dean."

"Damn it, Cas. Don't you talk like that," Dean hissed in anger.

"I believe God sent me to be with you."

"Then what the hell is the problem?"

Castiel's eyes softened. "My brothers do not agree."

Dean opened his mouth to retort in an offensive manner; however, found that his words were forgotten. In fact, the next second, he found his mouth occupied. He hissed his both shock and the thrill of meeting the soft, gentle lips of his angels. The hand of Castiel's jacket was now used to pull the angel closer to his body. He wanted more.

However, it took a while for Dean to realize exactly what he wanted more of. This was more than just a kiss. There was an unnatural essence being poured like sweet honey into his lips, warming his body to the ends of his soul. His whole body shuttered as the light and holy essence, Castiel's own grace, was shared with him. At the same time, it felt like strength was being drained from his body.

After a moment, an insistent hand pushed his body, which had somehow leached itself onto Castiel, gently away. The angel looked at his flustered charge with a soft expression. "This way, I will know if you are in danger."

Dean sagged against the angel's strong arms. He felt boneless and like he just went on a warm high he can't get off of. "W-w-hat?" was all he managed to ask.

Castiel eye flashed in a glimmer of amusement. "I gave you my grace. In return, I borrowed some of your soul. It will connect us."

He felt his eye drooping as his mind fought to stay awake. "Don't go," he whispered weakly.

"Good-bye, Dean."

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><p>AN: I thought this would be a good place to end. The originally chapter was going to be twice as long but might as well slip it up and let you have something to read while I finish up the rest. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. I hope you enjoyed and have the time to drop me a Review. Thank you!<p> 


	8. Bound to You

**Embrace Me With Your Wings : 8 : Bound to You**

AN: Finals is over! Winter break! Meaning: fanfiction time! I will finish this story! There's actually just one more chapter after this. Then there will be a sequel…. I think Imma enjoy that one a lot more… so stay tuned~

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><p>After watching his charge fall asleep, he arrived in heaven to answer his summons. It had been quite a while since he walked through heaven. He realized he missed it.<p>

Soon, he felt a familiar present behind him. "Michael."

The angel gazed down at his younger brother who had turned to face him. "You have been spending much time with the human."

"My charge," Castiel reminded.

Michael stared at his younger brother for a long while. He seemed to be considering something for a moment. Castiel tensed in worry. Then, a deep conviction settled. "You are not to see Dean Winchester any longer and that is an order."

Castiel knew it was coming; however, he still felt a shock drum through his body. He couldn't help but bristle in defense for his charge, for their relationship. As his throat tightened in preparation to voice his thoughts, Michael interrupted his unspoken words. "We have been made aware of certain details regarding your charge."

The younger angel had to pause at the presentation of this new information. "Details?" he asked Michael cautiously.

Instead, a second voice answered his question. "Mary Winchester had made contact with a demon called Alistair. The Demon both killed the woman and implanted his blood in the youngest son's body." Castiel whirled around to see the identity of the new angel.

"Raphael. I thought you were—"

"I was informed that one of our brothers was tempted by the humans and I had to see if there was any truth behind the rumors."

Castiel felt himself shrink back in the presence of this particular brother. Michael always commanded his respect; however, Raphael was a different. Raphael made him nervous.

Fortunately, a quiet look from Michael silenced Raphael for now.

"And what will happen to Dean and Sam?"

The older archangel returned his gaze onto Castiel. "That will no longer be your concern." The next moment, a bright light slammed into his body and he was thrown from their presence and whirled to one of the many heavens.

-_supernatural_-

Dean was fuming for many reasons. For one, that damn angel had up and disappeared again just like all the other times. Well, that's what he said to himself; however, he knew that this time felt different. The other times Castiel had left, Dean felt a reassurance that the angel would return eventually. This time, Dean wasn't so sure. Something about everything just felt off and he couldn't put his finger on it. It was pissing him off.

Then there was the fact that John had left on a hunting trip without him. He wanted Dean to 'watch out for Sammy' who was only going to a damn high school. He could help more if he was with his father hunting that Werewolf. He would have put up more of a fight if this father hadn't pulled that cheap shot on him. 'You're distracted and it's going to get us both killed.' Yes, he was distracted. He was distracted because he couldn't do anything for anyone: not his father, not for Castiel.

Plus, Dean hated school.

"Got your lunch? Books? Butterfly knife, Sammy?" Dean asked as he and his brother walked up to the dust-colored building.

"Yea, Dean," Sam muttered as he watched his brother closely.

Dean walked a few steps before glancing back and frowning. "What?"

Sam looked at the building with a downcast expression. "Nothing."

"Sammy," Dean gave the boy a meaningful look.

Sam avoided his brother's gaze; instead let himself watch the passing kids. "It's just been a while since we've been to school. Cas always use to teach us and maybe—"

"I told you. Cas is gone," Dean snapped before walking ahead. "This time, for good."

-_s-_

Dean had forgotten how easy it was to fall back into the routine: act like you don't give a crap and tap the nearest cheerleader checking him out.

Amanda smiled shyly at him as she allowed him to push her back against the shelving of the janitor's closet. She muttered something about her parents and how good he was with his brother. He ignored her words in favor of leaning forwards for another kiss. As her lips met his and felt good and soft. However, at the same time, it felt wrong. Images, memories of Cas flashed through his mind. All he could remember were his angel's lips. All he could remember was his angel's voice. He leaned in further into the girl's embrace in his frustration.

'_I will always return to you, Dean,'_ he tore himself away from the girl and turned his head, closing his eyes as though in pain and perhaps he was.

"Dean? What's wrong?" Amanda reached out to touch him in worry. Dean flinched back from the gesture.

"FUCK!" Dean cursed and he punched the metal shelf besides them before storming out of the closet, ignoring Amanda's cries and the looks he got from the kids in the hall.

He somehow found himself sitting on the grass, skipping class, and staring at the busy road behind the school. Cars passed quickly without glancing at the school on top the hill sloping down into the street. He couldn't remember how long he was there; however, it was long enough to go through many memories of Cas. He hated himself for it, for not being able to forget the angel. He touched his chest, remembering how it felt to have the angel's grace burn his soul and light it in a warm, addicting blaze.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed. _'It will connect us. I will know if you are in danger.'_

His limbs carried him blindly forwards until suddenly stopping, hesitating. He looked forwards into the vast field on the other side. It almost felt like the first time they met so long ago. Slowly he stepped out onto the black cement and turned his head to watch as the truck came barreling towards him, driver's eyes wide in horror, and truck tires began to screech and tremble.

Suddenly, a bright light blinded him temporarily causing him to lift his arms to shield his eyes. He wondered if this was how it felt to die; if so, he didn't mind it at all. In fact, death felt a lot like being embraced gently by the sun.

"Dean."

And just as suddenly, Dean realized he was in heaven. He turned his head to look at the familiar face of his angel. "I'm dead, aren't I, Cas?"

The angel slowly lifted his wings from his charge's body and gave the boy a frown. "No, you are not dead." Castiel's expression slowly turned frustrated if not angry. "Was that your intention?"

Sure, Dean probably should have been rather concerned that an angel of God was currently more or less yelling at him; however, he couldn't find it in himself to care very much. Instead he reached up to touch Castiel's face with great care. "You're really here then?"

Castiel's eyes softened and two large wings wrapped around the teen against, pressing the young man into Castiel's arm with more intensity. "Why?"

"I had to see you," Dean muttered through the trench coat. He let a strangled laugh, "And it worked, didn't it?"

"I shouldn't be here. My orders were clear."

"Fuck your orders," Dean snapped, pulling back slighting and tightened one hand on Castiel's shoulder, "Fuck them."

Cas shook his head, conflict evident in his eyes. However, 1000 or more years of habit die harder than cockroaches. "You don't understand."

"Clearly or I wouldn't be jumping in front of moving truck, now would I?" Dean pulled back fully this time and watched as the angel's wings vanished, flinched as though his reactions had hurt them.

Then the look came. Castiel turned his eyes towards his heaven, distracted. His eyes narrowed and darkened.

"Cas, please."

The angel turned his blue eyes towards his charge. He reached out to tough the boy's face carefully with his steady hand. He then stepped forwards; quickly swept the teen up onto his solid embrace.

"Cas," Dean muttered softly as he felt the angel tilting his head back slightly. The teen moved forwards the same time the angel did; their lips clashed almost desperately. Slowly, lips parted and Dean felt that familiar warmth spread through his body, burning into his very soul. He limbs trembled and his knees buckled. He tried desperately to hold on and prolong the contact; however, it felt like Cas was slipping away already.

Suddenly, his hangs slid through the coat and fisted empty air the same time his knees gave out and he fell against the grass. Tears rolled down his face and a fist pounded against the shoe-shaped crease in the grass where the angel once stood. "Son of a Bitch!"

-_supernatural_-

Castiel's grace trembled slightly from the sudden movement. A firm hand steady's his celestial body causing him to turn his attention towards the one responsible for yanking him back to heaven.

"Rachael?"

"I'm apologize. You need to be here. I—" She looked down, unsure of herself. "They were looking for you and speaking for you and I realized you were with…" She stopped herself, glancing around in fear before continuing. "What were you doing?"

Both angels shared a look. This was different; this was not the way heaven works. Angels do not have secrets; they do not hide themselves from each other. Then, at that very moment, both angels also froze when the felt a familiar grace sweep past them. It noticeably paused and lingered around Castiel before continuing.

"Michael," Rachael muttered quietly under her trembling voice as soon as the searching grace left. She looked back to Castiel. "Please stay. Please obey. We've already lost so many. We do not wish to lose you also."

Castiel gazed back patiently. "Who are you afraid of losing me too exactly?"

Rachael's whole essence froze and trembled at the implication before she disappeared from sight.

-_supernatural_-

But Castiel didn't stay. He went again the moment he felt the dread of impending death cross his bond and flare to life within Dean's mind as the teen pressed the car in attempts to drive over the edge. He felt as though it were his own dread.

He had gone to stop him. He had gone selfishly to embrace his charge. But as soon as he had left, he knew this time they would notice. _"I have never and will never forget you."_ He had said to Dean as his brothers called for him within his mind.

"_Don't"_ Dean had begged. However, Castiel had to leave. He felt Michael's angry tremble through the host. He felt his brother and sisters' confusion at his disobedience.

He returned, expecting another order from Michael, another chiding tone from his elder brother. However, halfway to heaven, he felt his grace being yanked forcefully into heaven and slammed on one of its floors. His grace crumbled and shuttered in a very real pain. He coughed and spluttered, his essence shaking, in shock.

"You disobeyed a direct order, Castiel."

The younger angel looked up at Raphael and shrunk back from the more powerful angel.

"That's enough, Raphael," Michael finally spoke up just as his brother lifted his hand to do more damage to Cas.

Raphael reluctantly withdrew but not without pressing against the matter at hand. "Is this not proof that the Winchesters are a danger?"

"No." Cas muttered desperately, struggling to rise from the wooden floor.

Raphael snapped and forcefully silenced Castiel in irritation. He then turned back towards his elder brother. "We must get rid of them now. Alistair must have some plans for the Winchesters. Before it comes it becomes realized, we can strike them down." Cas's eyes widened, he struggled to stand only to be forced to the ground again by Raphael grace.

Michael thought over his brother's comment calmly, eying both brothers before him with equal contemplation. Finally, he answered, "No."

Raphael gazed at the archangel in surprise and confusion, not expecting disagreement from his brother. "Michael."

"It is not our place to take lives as we see fit."

"Since when? Father has given us the duty to insure the demons—"

"—Father," Michael interrupted firmly yet smoothly like the soft tugs to lead a stray from wandering the wrong direction, "has given Fate the duty to set the road for which the world should move. The Fates have written both Winchesters within their books already. It is not our place to interrupt that which our Father has laid down for us to follow."

Raphael looked ready to retort but Michael made it apparently silently that the discussion was over. The younger of the archangels tightened his lips and watched as his brother disappears.

Castiel felt relief crush his body. Dean would be safe for now.

However, all his worries were not over. Raphael now had his attention on him and a stern expression marred his face. Two other angels appeared behind him as he advanced towards Castiel. "Disobedience is a grave sin, brother."

-_supernatural_-

Fear and uncertainly plagued her mind. She fluttered through heaven with such unease that her siblings stayed clear of her grace and presence to avoid the rippling side-effects of her mood. She never felt more alone, more confused. Doubt was a doorway to sin. She, as an angel of heaven, should not doubt her superiors. However, there was something else that compelled her not to let what she had overheard slide.

Somehow, she found herself before Purification, a part of heaven used to help purify those warriors of heaven who have stained themselves with doubt and sin. She had only been here one other time: when she watched Anna's punishment just before Anna chose to fall. The memory made her shutter.

A familiar grace quivered from within. She fluttered through the soft barricades in a sudden rush and found herself standing before the form of her brother lying huddled on the floor. Only those bound to heaven could not leave, others enter and depart as their own leisure. Heaven was never a place of strict rules or monitoring. They never had a need for such. Everyone obeyed without question…. Until now.

She reached down slowly to touch the trembling mess of grace and feathers. Castiel twitch and she quickly withdrew again and waited.

"Rachael."

"Brother," she echoed softly, in wonder. She reached down again to touch him gently as he struggled to rise. However, she was forced to reel back when a shot of Castiel's pain flushed through her essence when their grace intertwined on contact. Sadness filled her. She had forgotten the feeling accompanied with purification. She stood back and waited again.

"Why are you here?"

Suddenly, Rachael realized then how wrong this was. It felt too natural to be besides her brother that she had forgotten that he was stained with sin and that she… she was going to… The thought of her intentions that led her here made her shift back in doubt. She shouldn't.

"Is it Dean? Is Dean okay?"

She watched the weakened form of her sway in desperate agitation. "No," she whispered softly, urgently, fearfully. She coiled herself tighter in fear her superiors would find out she had come.

"Please, Rachael," Castiel begged weakly.

"Raphael has ordered Uriel to kill him."

Suddenly, the structure trembled with a sudden holy force filled in furry. Rachael gasped in horror and fell to the ground, scrambling backwards as she waited for the inevitable. She felt Castiel touch her hand and she looked over to see such strength and certainly radiate from her brother. She almost felt reassured that somehow it would be okay. Castiel struggled to his feet and stood before her.

"Rachael," a booming voice fluttered through every core of the structure and through the two angel's very essence, "I am surprised at you."

"Raphael," she muttered timidly as her older brother appeared before Castiel. She inched back desperately. "Forgive me."

Suddenly, Uriel appeared behind her, causing her to scream. However, his other hand closed around her mouth and pulled her back to prevent her from struggling.

"Rachael!" Castiel cried, moving to reach her. However, he was thrown across the room by the sudden force.

"Now, now, brother. I trying to have a conversation." Raphael insisted as he turned the Rachael and nodded. Uriel vanished with her on the command. The archangel then turned back to Castiel, "Now, it's your turn."

Castiel managed to struggle to his feet again. "You are disobeying Michael."

Raphael smiled humorously, "Well, not really. You see, Dean's death will be a grave, unfortunate accident. After all, there are so many dangers in a hunter's life like getting their heart ripped out by vengeful ghosts. Things like that."

"Michael will not let this pass."

"Michael will thank me," Raphael correctly, "After all; I'll take out Sam too. Then Michael won't have to kill his own brother and we call all return to not caring about the happenings of the humans.

Castiel stopped and look at this older brother in confusion, "Kill his own brother?"

Raphael sighed, "It doesn't concern you Castiel." He snapped his fingers and two angels appeared on either side of Castiel, grabbing harshly onto his arms. "In fact, you're not going anywhere for a long time."

"Raphael." The angels turned to see Michael appear with a quiet expression on his face as his access the scene before him. "Explain yourself."

Raphael froze for a moment, not expecting his older brother to appear. You could almost see the gears rolling in his mind, trying to figure out how much the other angel had heard. Slowly, he decided to act innocent. Michael had no reason to have in the shadows. He must have felt their conflict and come to investigate. Raphael; therefore, quickly spoke up. "Rachael was going to help him escape. He will not change himself. He insists on protecting the Winchesters and defying your orders.

There was silence, a deep, drooping silence. "Castiel," Michael spoke his name even though Castiel knew he was there waiting for him and Michael knew Castiel was aware of his presence. But that wasn't the point. It was the tone he said it in; the chiding, displeased tone that made Castiel's heart sink in shame.

"Brother," Castiel responded as he turned to face the other angel. His eyes were lowered. It wasn't a lie.

His big brother sighed in endlessly condescending way, holding his hand up to silence any words that would have come from Castiel's lips. The younger angel's eyes widened as his explanation fell into silence. He shook his head desperately.

"Bind his wings."

Castiel's eyes widened at the mere statement. He felt his other brothers hold him in an almost apologetic manner as Michael reached out for the physical manifestation of his grace.

Suddenly, there was something screaming in his mind. Suddenly, it felt like his whole body was on fire with fear and doom. He knew the feeling. But never before has it been so vivid, so blinding, so desperate, so close.

"Castiel?" He heard Michael call to him in a tone that sounded almost desperate. When was his older brother ever desperate? Michael was always calm. However, the screams in his mind would not allow him to linger on that thought any longer.

Castiel was only aware of one thing: he needed to get to Dean. He needed to get to his charge now!

Soon his own screams mingled with the one in his mind. Pain, light, fear melted into one swirling mess. And then, he was plummeting towards earth.

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><p>AN: The next chapter is half-way through so be up in a few days. Thanks for reading and staying with me!<p> 


	9. Embrace Me In Return

**Embrace Me With Your Wings : 9 : Embrace Me In Return  
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><p>To this day, he could only remember fragments of what happened after his fall. He remembered yelling; he remembered Dean; he remembered pain and desperation and fear. But for the most part, he was trying to fight sleep. It was a new and very odd sensation: to require sleep, to feel so tired. His body felt heavier than he knew it should and his mind unwilling to wake. Perhaps if it tried, the blinding stings that plagued his sleeping mind would double tenfold.<p>

Occasionally, he would regain consciousness again. After his escape attempt, he had been ushered back onto the bed. And his body wrapped tightly again. His wings must still be bleeding. In fact, he was often lying on his stomach to let the invisible wound heal.

This time, he actually tried to force himself awake. The long sleep was starting to confuse and worry him. He had never slept this long. He let out a pathetic groan. Slowly, one eye opened and he winced at the light of the moon streaming into the hotel.

Dean was the first thing he saw. The young man was hunched over on the chair snoring quietly and the man was, more importantly, safe. He reached a hand out in attempt to touch his charge. How he had missed the human.

"He cares quite a bit about you."

Castiel froze and looked to his right. His eyes widened in fear and his body tried to move. The older angel motioned for him to stop.

"It's alright, Castiel, I am not here to harm you or your charge."

Cas studied his brother for a moment before slowly sinking back into the bed-sheets, wincing on his way down. He waited for his older brother to explain, warily.

Michael smiled humorously. Castiel vaguely wondered if his brother looked brighter than usual. Maybe it was the darkness. Slowly, the archangel made his way towards Castiel's bed. Dean was suddenly gone and Cas realized it was a dream—his dream.

"We did not expect such reactions from you."

Castiel continued to stare at his brother quietly. He wondered if that was remorse or surprise that he saw on his brother's face. Then again, it may be too hard to tell. He didn't know how to respond to any of this. So, he remained silent.

Michael sat down on the bed. Suddenly, Castiel felt his wings force to reveal themselves. He screamed in agony when the broken one twitch with movement but could do nothing but tremble when exposed to the air. He whimpered into the pillow, feeling waves of grace leaking from his torn wing as it has been but more freely now they were not hidden.

"How desperate you must have been," Michael observed in half sorrow and half fascination. It was a strange combination now that Castiel thought about it. He wondered if his brother had always been like that: concerned but not completely caring. He wondered how he didn't ever notice.

Castiel could only bite his lips to keep himself from screaming as his good wing was stiff, taunt in the air while the other dripping with blood and grace. He could barely think let along care what Michael thought.

He was also far too distracted to noticed Michael moving closer, reaching a hand out for his broken wing. By the time he realized, a searing pain ripped through his body and caused him to round his back and sink his head into the pillow as he screamed in agony again. It felt like the open wound of his wing was being burnt. Every hyper-sensitive nerve on that appendage was drumming with millions of painful stings. His body twisted and lurched in attempts to get away. His good wing lashed out desperately. However, Michael merely pressed harder. "Perhaps, like this, you will be able to stop it," the older angel muttered almost absentmindedly. Castiel barely heard it through his own screams, not even bothering to comprehend what that comment meant not that he would have known anyways.

Suddenly, it was all over, everything, the pain, the burn. Castiel felt himself gasp for breath and his body fell limp with his one wing sliding onto the bed and floor. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as he slowly lifted himself off the bed. He looked over to Michael only to find his brother gone. He tested the nub of his broken wing. It stopped leaking grace, bleeding, and the pain was completely gone. It was just sore now. Michael healed him.

"Cas! CAS!" Castiel bolted awake, thrown out of his dream. He blinked and looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. The room mirrored his dream exactly minus the current figure hovering over him. "Shit, Cas!" Dean wrapped his arms around the angel in relief.

Castiel fell into Dean's arms, allowing the young man to pull him in. "Dean," he muttered quietly.

"You were screaming bloody murder and I couldn't wake you."

The angel slowly returned to his sitting position and looked at the concerned expression that marred his charge's face. He brought a hand up to slowly touch the human's face. Dean subconsciously leaned into the touch as though his soul demanded to be closer by any means possible. However, at the same time, now that Dean had gotten older, he tried to restrain that desire to launch himself into Castiel's arms.

"Michael visited me in my dreams," Castiel informed his charge in an awed tone.

However, Dean's eyes widened at the information. He reached out to hold onto Castiel's wrist. "Are you okay? What did he want? Did he hurt you?"

Castiel looked down, "No." He felt Dean wait for the bad news but Cas realized there was none. "Michael helped close my wound."

"Your wing."

Cas closed his eyes, sudden remembering the horror of the fact. He slowly willed it away. He was not ready to face that fact yet. "Yes."

"Why?"

Castiel looked out the window. Consequently, he also then noticed the shadowed form of Dean's father hovering at the door. "I don't know."

-_supernatural_-

Humanity, or what he felt of it, was inconvenient. It was cold, dark, marred by spouts of weariness and hunger and a need for the toilet. He felt like a child with the memory of an thousand year angel. It was both frustrating and confusing. He didn't even know how to tie his own tie properly or how to recognize the pain cause from hunger.

Then there were the emotions. As an angel, he now realized that he had been incapable to fully understand and process human emotions. The ideal and knowledge of sadness, happiness, and anger existed but only as a thought. It never fuelled his body as it did now. He found himself prone to 'moods' as Sam calls them. He finds himself unskilled in controlling sudden outburst of emotions the leaves him withdrawn in embarrassment seconds later.

He sat quietly outside of the motel the family was staying at with Sam sleeping quietly besides him. The boy's head rests gently against his shoulder. From the corner of his eyes, he peered through a slip into the motel room where Dean and his father were locked in a heated debate.

He watched the white cloud float by and wondered if they have always moved at such a slow pace.

Suddenly, the door for flung open and John Winchester walked out with several bags in hand. Sam jumped to his feet, wide awake and looking around for the nearest danger. His eyes locked onto his father and brows furrowed in confusion. "Dad?"

"Come on, Sam, we're leaving." Sam quickly ran into the model room to retrieve his backpack and books. He reappeared seconds later just as Castiel stood and Dean leaned against the door's frame.

The boy turned to his older brother. "Come one, Dean, hurry." He made a move to tug his brother shirt.

Dean reluctantly removed his sleeve from Sam's grip and instead ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "Not this time, Sammy."

"Dean?"

"Sam, hurry it up!"

Sam turned to his father and then back to Dean. "I don't understand."

"Me and Cas are going to take a roadtrip."

"Then I want to come with you."

Dean offered the boy a reluctant smile before moving forwards and turning Sam's shoulder around the face the impala. "Not this time, Sammy. It'll just be a week, promise.

"One week? For what?"

Dean nudged his brother's head. "Don't worry about it, Sammy."

"Sam, get in the car."

Sam looked to his Dad then back at Dean then Castiel. He bit his lips for a moment and turned towards Dean. "One week. You promise?"

Dean nudged his brother one last time towards the impala. "Promise."

The former angel and his charge watched as the impala drove out of the parking lot. Cas turned to look at his charge; however, realized the man was already on his way inside the motel room. Castiel glanced towards the leaving car one more time before slowly following his change inside.

Castiel was suddenly unsure of what else to do. He stood quietly in small open living room, somewhat awkwardly as though wanting to do or say something. But no words were spoken. Instead, he silently watched Dean pack up his stuff. Cas would have said 'their' stuff but realized he didn't own anything beyond the trench coat and suit on his back.

"I'm sorry."

Dean stopped what he was doing and looked up in confusion at the words that fell from Castiel's lips. He watched as the once-angel touched his chest and frowned as though in pain. The young man instantly put down the shirt he was stuffing in his bag and walked over to Cas. He stood before the other man and watched Castiel slowly look at him with sorrowful eyes.

He slowly reached out for his angel, touching the shoulder of the dusty trench coat with some hesitation. However, after a moment, he broke through his restraints and tugged his angel into his embrace. He buried his head into Castiel's shoulder and neck and clung on tightly just like in the old days.

"You are such an idiot, Cas."

Castiel remained limp in his charge's embrace. He felt a tightening in his chest and wondered what it was from. Slowly, his arms made its way around Dean's body. It was then that he realized how long it's been since he touched Dean. The thought made it hard for him to breathe or maybe that was from how tightly the young man was embracing him.

"I apologize for—"

"—No," Dean quickly interrupted. The man leaned back and stared at his angel. His hand found itself resting on the side of Castiel's side and face. His face featured a deep frown. "You—" He shook his head and made a sound that sounded like a bitter laugh, "I should be the one who's sorry."

Cas stared at Dean for a moment and slowly tilted his head in confusion. "For what?"

Suddenly, Dean let out a tight and bitter laugh. "For What! You had one of your wings ripped off because of me."

"That was not you who ripped off my wings. I trusted my own instincts and that has saved you," Castiel reached out to place a gentle hand on Dean's which was still on his neck; "I would not take it back for the world or life or a mere wing."

Dean pulled his hand from Castiel's grip and looked away.

Cas looked at Dean in confusion once again. However, that look slowly turned into realization and awe. "You don't believe you deserve to be saved." From the way his change's jaw tightened and his eyes lowered, Cas knew his assumption was correct and what was shocking to him. "You are my change, Dean. I will always protect you."

"No," Dean muttered, shaking his head, "not like that. Never like that. I don't want anyone sacrificing themselves for me."

The angel frowned and gave a soft smile. "Sacrifice is one of the most beautiful acts created by my father."

The young man searched his angel's eyes for a moment. "Then why does it hurt so much?"

-_supernatural -_

They left for California as soon as Dean finished packing and picking out a black Dodge Aspen in the parking lot to hotwire. There wasn't very much discussion about what was happening or what was going to happen. Then again, did it matter? Castiel had nowhere else to go, nothing else to do. In fact, he suddenly found his existence very insignificant.

After a long moment of driving, Dean glanced over to the angel. Castiel was staring outside the window at the passing scenery with a blank, unfocused expression. Dean looked back at the street for a moment, struggling to say something meaningful. However, he, as always, was wonderfully ineloquent. "Cas."

The ex-angel slowly lifted his head like the action was a momentous task. He turned his head towards his charge before resting it back onto the headrest.

"Does… it still hurt?"

Castiel's eyes lingered on Dean's face for a while. He, after some hesitation, finally reached out a timidly and grasped Dean's right hand with a trembling grip. "Everything's changed," he replied in the barest of whispers.

Dean's eyes did not leave the road but he returned the angel's tough with a bruising grip. "Not everything... I'm still here and you came back me."

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><p>AN: Yes, you see correctly that this story is 'complete'! This is because this will be the 'first part'. Do not worry; the second is already being planned. I'm very excited for the next chapter of their lives. I believe I will enjoy writing it more. Thank you very much for reading!<p> 


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